Talented gelding Rain Drum (6g Fastnet Rock x Gifted Spirit, by Thunder Gulch) posted a career best performance when he saluted in the Group II ATC Shannon Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Resuming from a lengthy spell of some 16 months and facing the toughest opposition he’d ever been pitted against, the Gai waterhouse trained Rain drum rose to the challenge for Peter Robl.

He settled back in the field from barrier one and threaded his way in between runners to take a late split along the inside.

As soon as he saw daylight, Rain Drum charged to the line to beat Centennial Park by a head in the 1500 metre feature.

“It was a great effort, a great training performance and a terrific performance by the horse himself,” said Peter Robl.

“He was strong through the line, he travelled lovely in the run.

“He gives you the feel of a smart horse, as soon as the run came he knew where he was going, drove through, pinned his ears back, he wanted to attack the line.”

Rain Drum was a $280,000 purchase from the Goodwood Farm draft at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and has the overall record of six wins and five placings from 11 starts with prizemoney nearing $300,000.

A three-quarter brother to stakes-placed Indelible, Rain Drum is the best of three winners from Thunder Gulch (USA) mare Gifted Spirit, a half-sister to Group II winner Light Up the World and to the dams of Group I stars Bentley Biscuit and Thorn Park. Rain Drum is the 49th stakes-winner for champion sire Fastnet Rock.